swap hostesses

[MyLittlePiglet]

For those of you who have done this before a weird question....

I am finishing up my first swap hostessing and was wondering...

What is the feeling difference between opening each package as they come with all the same stuff and getting a completed swap with how every many different things?

Do most people open their swap stuff as it comes in or do you wait until all packages are there and then open and divide.

Thanks for sharing
M

 

[potterphreak]

I haven't hosted yet (but hope to soon!!!) but I can just imagine that I wouldn't be able to just sit and wait patiently for everything to come in. I would have to open them as they come and ooooh and ahhhhh, LOL!!

 

[StitchIsOurHero]

I SO do not have the patience to wait to open them! I usually open each package as it comes in. I have some of those Rubbermaid shoebox sized bins lined up on a table in my scraproom. I have one for each group in the swap I am currently hostessing. I take the stuff out of the box that came in, and separate it into the appropriate bin. That way, the "groups" are all within one bin, and I bring one bin out at a time to divide them.

That's just the way that works for me--there's no way I could wait to open them!

 

[lewdyan1]

When I hosted I had the return envelopes ready and as the stuff came in, I divided it into each envelop. Then when the last one was here, everything was ready to mail!

 

[KAMommy]

I have one of those inexpensive file boxes (have discovered I need one for each swap, but anyway...). I have a manilla file for each group, and one for each individual. I put the swap stuff in the group file and the money, postage etc. in the individual file. This way, I can just pull a group when I am ready to sort.

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I open each box as they come.. just to make sure they are safe...and that nothing is damaged....than.. I put the swap in my plastic bin labelled with swap and everyone's names.. I than mark off who I have....
Now, this is how bad I get.. for each group.. each person gets a list of the group..as I divide everything out... count them up to make sure they have 12 (or whatever number than that they need to have);I put that paper on the big baggie...than I check the list to the elements to make sure I didn't over look anyone in sorting... that way I have double checked everyone's items twice...
I usually have the return packages labelled the day before I start sorting and have the postage on them... if they need postage they go in another pile.
Than, I check the addresses one more time to make sure they are correct.
Than off to the post office I go!

 

[bigsis1970]

Ok for the resort swap I am currently hosting -- I have opened all of them to check and make sure it make it ok , addys are in there and the return mailing is all set.. I am not sorting till I get them all and then will clean the living room floor and get busy.. I have the return labels all made out.. Michelle